


Ariana's Books

by CuddlyMakani



Series: Tom x Harry Drabbles [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bookstore, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, Fluff, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-13
Updated: 2018-04-13
Packaged: 2019-04-22 10:53:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14307126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CuddlyMakani/pseuds/CuddlyMakani
Summary: Harry’s search after a book changed his life.





	Ariana's Books

**Author's Note:**

> Hello and welcome to my second fanfiction! :3  
> I wanted to thank my friends snaxarba and slytherinlocks for betaing. <3  
> I love you! °˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°
> 
> Have fun reading! <3

'Finally!' Harry thought, staring out of the window of the bus he was riding, ‘I've graduated. I just have to get Hermione her celebration present. I already picked up something for Ron and she would surely like a book. But it can't simply be a random, cheap book. It needs to be more personal than that.' Harry returned from his thoughts as the bus came to a halt. He stepped out onto the cobbled street while wondering what kind of text she would like. ‘I probably need an antique store for that, and these are not in the newer parts of the city.'

After a while Harry wandered further into the older parts of the town, seeking antique bookstores and seeing other shops - some had customers inside them and lots were abandoned. He spotted a narrow standing building, squished in between two boarded up shops, seemingly old yet cared for. A vibrant poster hung at the shopfront, telling him the name of the store: Ariana's books.  
He pushed the wooden door open, a bell tinkling above his head. The smell of aged paper and ink entered his nose. His initial impression of the store was that it was very cluttered. There were little silver trinkets - some were huffing and puffing out weird tunes - in between of books that served as bookends, books were piled on the floor and shelves that covered one of the far walls, stuffed with what Harry thought must be every book imaginable. He had never seen so many old tomes in one place before, except for the library at Hogwarts University.

An elder man appeared out of a door somewhere hidden by the bookshelves. Perhaps he was the owner of the old store. Harry noted that the man seemed to have a glamorous sense of fashion as his clothes were brightly coloured; he was smiling and his eyes twinkled as he walked while humming to himself. He picked up a hat, placed it on his long greying hair and moved over to the entrance.  
"I'll see you later, my boy," the aged man spoke over his shoulder. "Look after the old place, will you?"

Harry glanced over to where the man directed his question in a pleasant tone and almost gaped at what he saw: A tall, handsome man with sharp cheekbones, dark brown wavy hair, and eyes black as a winter night. He wore a white button-up shirt with black trousers and appeared to be in his mid-twenties. The corners of his mouth twisted with distaste, his eyes flicked up to where the store owner stood and he nodded once.  
Harry's eyes bulged at the appearance of the man for a few moments, his eyes roaming from his broad shoulders, firm chest, long legs and-

"Sir, how can I help you?" an amused baritone voice broke his trail of thoughts.  
He snapped up his head to look in the taller man's eyes. He flushed in embarrassment. The assistant tilted his head and the corners of his mouth slid upwards.  
Harry could feel butterflies in his stomach and he wondered how someone so attractive could work in such a secluded place like this.  
But he tried to concentrate as he cleared his throat "Er - yes, I'm looking for a special book which I could gift to a friend."  
The man hummed, suppressing an amused grin. "Let me see. Does this friend have any specific preferences?"  
Harry paused, "... Something unique?" 

 

At the end of the shopping trip, Harry had purchased a rare first edition and waited for his bus home. He was thinking about the assistant; he simply couldn't get him out of his head. Harry ran his hand through his messy hair. ‘Great. Now I have a crush on some guy. But that happens.' He shook his head as he stepped on the bus. ‘I'll probably forget him soon enough.'

 

 

A few days later, because Harry was unable to forget the handsome man in the bookstore, he visited again, hoping to see him.  
Harry pretended to browse around the store, looking at books, while in reality, he couldn't focus on anything except the nameless assistant.  
The handsome man was keeping the store tidy by sorting through boxes, placing the books in their proper place and scanning through documents. And as he was stretching to reach the higher shelves, Harry could see his body flexing; it was lithe and slightly muscled. Harry even noticed a collarbone peeking out from under his button-up shirt.  
Soon Harry had very much neglected even trying to look at books, and gazed at the slightly older man, feeling unsure how to approach him.  
That was until the taller man glanced at Harry and smirked. Harry immediately turned away and hid his face, while re-adjusting his glasses.

"By the way, in case you were wondering, you can call me Tom."  
Harry somehow managed to answer without stammering: "I'm Harry."

 

 

Harry became a regular customer; he visited the store every few days.  
The two started speaking to each other about their lives. Harry told him about his parents who passed in an accident when he was little, about his aunt and uncle's house where he grew up; and who had neglected him. When he met his two best friends Ron and Hermione at age eleven, their recent graduation and his professors; mostly he complained about a sour man called Snape, who had treated him unfairly because he looked like his father.  
Tom observed Harry for a few moments and gave a slight nod of understanding. He then started talking about his own life: How he was raised in an orphanage in poverty because his mother perished in childbirth. How she had never married his father and how he, therefore, renounced his son.

They talked about their hobbies, how Harry liked sports, but Tom preferred books.

Tom talked about his employer, someone called Albus, an old man who he thought merely ate sweets called Lemon drops. He was constantly calling him "my boy", always treated him much younger than he was but at the same time suspected him of plotting something evil. And Harry noticed how much it annoyed Tom. He told Harry how he would have already left if he wouldn't have been able to read as much as he wanted, without paying as long as customers didn't ask for his assistance because he didn't have much money and needed to save it.  
When they didn't talk Harry peered at the texts, or sat in the small sitting area and read. Sometimes Tom joined him, and they read in a comfortable silence together. The couch wasn't very wide, so their sides touched. Neither of them mentioned this or moved away. 

After every visit, Harry left with a book in hands and a racing heart.

 

 

After a while, Harry suddenly stopped while browsing and leaned closer to look at a book.  
"That one looks pretty interesting…" he muttered and reached out to grab it, then sat in the corner, alone, while Tom managed the counter.  
After a while flipping through the pages, he decided to buy it.

He got up from the couch and approached Tom to pay. But before he could reach him, he tripped over a pile of books he didn't see. He cried out, Tom turned quickly and tried to catch him, but underestimated his weight, and they both tumbled to the ground, with Harry on top. He bumped his head against Tom's and caught his lips with his.  
Harry's face flushed crimson as he drew away and Tom smirked slowly.  
Embarrassed he tried to get up, but Tom stopped him by circling his arms around Harry's shoulders. He lifted an eyebrow and told him smugly: "What a coincidence... but did you think I wouldn't notice, Harry?" he purred, "How you look at me."  
Harry spluttered, "I-I don't know what you-", but didn't finish his sentence because Tom suddenly leaned closer. "Don't lie. I don't like being lied to." Harry stilled. "But fortunately, you're much too precious." Harry narrowed his eyes in distrust, and hesitantly inquired, "… Precious? What are you implying?"  
Tom's smirk broadened. "Isn't it obvious, Harry? We'll have to try again." And before Harry could react, Tom pulled him close and pressed a kiss to Harry's lips. His eyes widened, but he didn't even try to distance himself, but to get closer.  
It set their nerves on fire and their noses clumsily bumped along the way, but for them it was perfect. It was a sweet kiss and yet they broke apart breathing heavily. "Why... Why me?" Harry insecurely asked, but Tom hushed him. "Because you're perfect."  
Harry smiled so brightly like the sun, and Tom felt himself melt.

And so they kissed again.


End file.
